Protective door for containers



April 23, 1963 R. A. scHEUERMAN 3,085,674

PROTECTIVE DooR EOE CONTAINERS Filed Nov. 18, leso 1a/ sa T 'n A@ 5 8 58/ 1.6

United States Patent O 3,086,674 PRGTECIIVE DUUR FR CONTAINERS Roger A.Schenerman, 3187 Marvin Drive, Adrian, Mich. Filed Nov. 18, 1966, Ser.No. 70,277 4 Claims. (Cl. 22d-24) This invention relates to improvementsin protective closures for the openings of containers and the like, andmore particularly to a novel protective and weatherproof door which isadapted to be moved to open position to provide unimpeded access to theinterior of a container, such as an open-ended mail or newspaper box,but which, in its closed position, yields to provide limited access tothe interior of -the box for the insertion of mail or newspapers, andthen returns to protective position.

The primary object of the invention is lthe provision of a simple,eflcient, and inexpensive weatherproof protective door of the kindindicated, which is readily applicable to and removable from a containeror the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a practical anduniversal protective door of the character indicated above which isdevised to be installed on containers of either cylindrical or polygonalcross sections, either as a built-in feature thereof, or as an accessoryto be applied and removed, at will.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective View of a newspaper or mail receivingbox, equipped with a door of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged front end elevation of the container and door ofFIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectiontaken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, showing the door in closed positionand yielding for the insertion of a rolled newspaper; and

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal longitudinal section, taken at right angles toFIGURE 3, showing the door in closed position in full lines, and in openposition in phantom lines.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views, a form of container, to which acover of the invention is applicable, is shown as being a conventionalnewspaper and mail receiving box 1t) of cylindrical form, having an openfront or forward end 12, which is surrounded 'by a lateral annularrounded bead 14.

A door of the invention, generally designated 16, is adapted to besnapped over the bead 14 so as to close and cover the opening of the end12. The box 10, here shown as having a plain cylindrical sidewall 17,could, instead, have an octagonal or hexagonal or other polygonalsidewall. Further, the door 16 could be, in a built-in version thereof,be permanently mounted on the box 10, in suitable manner.

The illustrated door 16, which is preferably made of molded plastic ofsubstantially gauge, comprises an annular, rearwardly facing channelmounting rim 18 which is sutliciently flexible and resilient to providefor its being `snapped over and secured on the bead 14 and engaged withthe inner surface of the box sidewall. Preferably integral with andextending inwardly from the rim 1S is a segmental web or flange 2t!having, on its forward or front side, vertically spaced pairs of hingedears 22, through which hinge pins 24 extend. The door 16 furthercomprises a circular flat door panel 26 which has, at one side Ithereof,a chordal edge 28 which matches the chordal edge 36 of the web 20 andextends therealong, as shown ice in FIGURE 2. Hinge ears 32, on theforward or front side of the door panel 26, extend beyond the chordaledge 28 and engage between related hinge ears 2,2 and are traversed bythe hinge pins 24, whereby the door panel 26 is swingable forwardly froma closed position, shown in full lines in FIGURE 4, to an open positionshown therein in phantom lines, so as to provide full and unimpededaccess to the interior of the box 10, as for removing rolled newspapersand/or mail therefrom.

The door panel 26 is sufficiently large in diameter that, in its closedposition, its peripheral edge 34 makes sulficient retaining frictionalcontact with the inner surface 36 of the mounting rim 18 to keep thedoor panel closed. Alternately, the door panel 26 can be releasablyretained in closed position by means of a catch 38 which engages overthe mounting rim 18, and which serves as a handle for `opening andclosing the door panel.

The illustrated catch 38 comprises a resilient loop 40 to frictionallyreceive the mounting rim 18, having on one end thereof, a diametricalattaching lug 42, suitably aixed to the forward side of the door panel26, as indicated at 44, and a lateral handle lug 46 on its other end.

It will also be understood that hinge means for hinging the door panel26 on the mounting rim 18, other than that illustrated herein, arecontemplated by the present invention, such as a flexible integralconnecter of the door panel with the web or flange 20.

The door panel 26 has provision for inserting such as a rolled newspaperinto the box 10, through the door panel, without requiring opening ofthe door panel 26 and exposing the interior of the box to rain, snow andwind. For this purpose, the door panel 26 is formed withcircumferentially spaced, slits 48, which intersect at the center of thedoor panel, and Ldefine therebetween triangular flaps 50 which areflexible and resilient. When not stressed and iexed inwardly orrearwardly, by pressure exerted thereon, the flaps 50 are in coplanar,touching or overlapping relationship, so that rain, snow and wind areexcluded from the interior of the box 10. For insertion of a rollednewspaper P or mail into the box 10, the newspaper and/ or mail aresimply pressed endwise against the flaps 50, with suicient force tospread the flaps rearwardly, and away from each other, and pass thenewspaper into the box behind the door panel and permit the aps 50 toresume their closed positions.

Although there have been shown and described herein preferred forms ofthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is notnecessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in thestructure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof arecontemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined bythe claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. In combination, a container having a sidewall and an open end, -anexternal bead extending around said open end, a weatherproof doorcomprising a channel mounting rim removably engaged over said bead, saidrim having an opening, a door panel hinged at one side to said rim andextending across the opening of the rim, said door panel having normallyclosed and engaged flexible ap means defining opening means through thedoor panel.

2. In combination, a container having 'a sidewall and an open end, anexternal bead extending around said open end, a weatherproof doorcomprising a channel mounting rim removably engaged over said bead, saidrim having an opening, a door panel hinged at one side to said rim andextending across the opening of the rim, said door panel having normallyclosed and engaged flexible flap means defining opening means throughthe door panel, and hinge means hinging the door panel to the inwardside of the rim at a location inwardly of the container sidewall.

3. A container having a sidewall and an open end, an external bead onthe sidewall extending around said open end, a flexible channel rimremovably embracing and extending around said bead, said rim having anopening, a door panel extending across and closing the opening of therim, a door panel having normally closed and engaged flexible ilap meansdening opening means through the door panel, hinge means connecting thedoor panel to the rim vat one side of the panel, and a spring catch onthe panel at the other side `of the panel and releasa'bly ernbracing thechannel rim.

4. A container having a sidewall and an open end, a Vlateral beadextending around the sidewall at said open end, a flexible channel rimextending around and removably embracing said bead, said channel rimhaving an opening and having an inner Wall engaging -the containersidewall, a relatively narrow chordal flange on yand extending inwardlyfrom said inner wall and having a free edge,

4 a door panel extending across `and closing the opening of the rimdened by the free edge of the ange and the remainder of the rim, saiddoor panel having normally closed and engaged exible flap means definingopening means through the door panel, and hinge means hinging the dooron said flange at its free edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,890,194 Punte Dec. 6, 1932 1,903,099 Erhard Mar. 28, 1933 2,349,985Page May 30, 1944 2,560,376 Waterman July l0, 1951 2,708,927 Dixon May24, 1955 2,803,370 Lennard Aug. 20, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 562,580 CanadaSept. 2, 1958

1. IN COMBINATION, A CONTAINER HAVING A SIDEWALL AND AN OPEN END, ANEXTERNAL BEAD EXTENDING AROUND SAID OPEN END, A WEATHERPROOF DOORCOMPRISING A CHANNEL MOUNTING RIM REMOVABLY ENGAGED OVER SAID BEAD, SAIDRIM HAVING AN OPENING, A DOOR PANEL HINGED AT ONE SIDE TO SAID RIM ANDEXTENDING ACROSS THE OPENING OF THE RIM, SAID DOOR PANEL HAVING NORMALLYCLOSED AND ENGAGED FLEXIBLE FLAP MEANS DEFINING OPENING MEANS THROUGHTHE DOOR PANEL.